Aggrieved the Wolf Part 2

Aggrieved the Wolf

Frau Hunter Ash

www.hunterash.com

Part 2

* * *

Nikki sat back in her chair, knowing as long as the red-head held the gun and was exceptionally cautious, she didn't have a choice but to listen.

"Ernst was young enough to fall totally under Hitler's spell and so joined the Hitler Youth as soon as he could," Case began. "He was a great soldier but he had a tendency to be solitary. Because of this he didn't become a natural leader. At age 17 he was expected to join the SS as an officer, as was fitting a high ranking and achieving Hitlerjungend. Instead, he joined the Mountain Troops and his natural woodland skills quickly brought him to the attention of his superiors. He was well trained and obedient, like most youths of his time and he was a natural with a rifle, an instinctive sniper. An excellent marksmen, like you."

Case hesitated, watching the young musician's frown.

"When Hitler let loose the blitzkrieg, the lightning war, your grandfather found himself in the Greek mountains," Case continued. "It was some brutal fighting and his superiors discovered he was a terror in battle when cornered. He was tireless and vicious when pressed. After many battles he was one of the few original survivors of his company."

"No one told me he was a Hitler Youth or in the Mountain Troops," Nikki muttered.

"Well, it wasn't exactly popular to have a Hitler Youth in your family tree in America," Case pointed out. "Things turned worse for him when Ernst struck a superior officer and nearly killed him."

"Why?" Nikki was enthralled; she knew her grandfather had been in the German Army and in Russia before deserting the army and fleeing Germany near the end of the war.

"The officer had just shot a Partisan woman and was about to shoot her infant. Your grandfather objected to the senseless killing but the officer shot the child anyway. Ernst broke the officer's jaw and he was transferred to the SS-Waffen Einstatzgruppen as punishment. He wound up in the Ukraine at a place called Babi Yar."

"What?" Nikki whispered, her eyes widening in surprise and horror. One thing Nikki was and that was a student of history. She knew the name. "Oh my gods."

"Yes," Case nodded and continued. "No one really knows the exact numbers. The killing of naked Jews went on for three days. The Germans dug long trenches, stripped the victims, lined them up and shot them. A dose of lime was thrown over the bodies and the next line was brought in."

"Grossvater?" Nikki whispered, remembering the gentle old man holding her on his lap. He had died a month after her father.

"Yes, Nikki," Case said gently. "He was part of a machine gun team. On the second day, while marching back to the village, Ernst spotted a young woman diving into a ditch, escaping the line of Jews being herded towards Babi Yar. He started to shout but then kept silent. Ernst left the ranks and wandered towards the ditch and none of the others paid too much attention. They probably figured he needed to relieve himself. The soldiers were tired and too numb to think."

Case watched the conflicting emotions running across the face of the musician in front of her.

"How do you know all of this?" Nikki demanded, her gray eyes focusing on the green ones of Case.

"The government has your grandfather's statement," Case explained. "He was quiet descriptive. Shall I continue?"

Nikki nodded and leaned back in her chair with a heavy sigh.

"Ernst ducked into the ditch and clamped a hand over the girl's mouth before she could protest. She didn't fight back. She was probably resigned to having been caught. Your grandfather Ernst looked at her and then began pulling her along the ditch towards the woods, keeping low so as not to be seen."

Case hesitated.

"Who knows what the girl was thinking, probably that she was about to be raped and that Ernst didn't want anyone else watching," Case continued. "Unofficially, the German Army wasn't opposed to rape, it was part of their favorite form of humiliation; especially against the Poles and Slavs. They considered them inferior."

"The German Army wasn't the only ones to use rape as punishment," Nikki growled. "There are still horror stories of the Russian Army's advance into Germany."

"Yes, since time began, armies have turned a blind eye to it or even encouraged it. The Russians used it as a means of revenge against the Germans when they advanced into Germany," Case smiled gently. "The German Army did have a policy against sex with Jews, they didn't want their fine young Aryan warriors contaminated. They knew it happened but didn't encourage it. When they got to the woods your grandfather kept going, pulling the girl with him."

Nikki continued to frown.

"When they finally stopped to rest at a creek, your grandfather wouldn't look at her. He later wrote that he was furious and she was afraid. Ernst finally asked the girl her name and answered that it was Sasha Vladovich."

"Grandmother," Nikki's whispered. Her head was pounding, making her headache much worse.

Case noticed the musician's wince and stood up, keeping her eye on Nikki as she went to the door and knocked on it. The door opened slightly but Nikki couldn't see who was on the other side. Case spoke softly to someone and leaned against the doorjam, appearing to wait for something. A few moments later, she closed the door and placed a soda can on the desk and cautiously slid it towards Nikki. The rocker leaned forward and, with equal caution, took up the can of Coke Classic. It was ice cold and felt like heaven to Nikki right then. The prisoner seemed to consider the coke, checked the tab and popped it open. It fizzed and Case watched Nikki relax slightly. The Hunter grinned at the caution and her eyes narrowed at the look of relief that crossed Nikki's face as she drank gratefully.

A weakness revealed, Case knew. A silly addiction to Classic Coke soda. Then again, addictions weren't unknown to this type of hunted.

"Yes, the woman who became your grandmother," Case continued. "Your grandfather had snapped. He didn't even know if it was true love when he saw her or rebellion over what he had seen and done but he fell in love with her quickly. He and Sasha escaped into the woods and traveled throughout Europe. They tried to keep one step ahead of the Russian Army and away from the Germans. Ernst and Sasha weren't too sure as to what kind of reception they'd receive from the Allies either. He had been HJ and SS, after all. They joined partisan groups and tried to keep her Jewish race quiet."

"Why didn't they join a Jewish partisan group, there were a few," Nikki asked.

"Because of his background, they knew he would never be trusted," Case explained. "Non-Jewish partisan groups usually turned in Jews. In a strange world, they hated the Jews almost as much as the Germans. Mixed marriages are hell, aren't they?"

Nikki frowned and continued to drink her coke, trying to go slow.

"They managed somehow, mostly because of his survival skills and fierce fighting frenzies. A year later they had a son in the woods somewhere deep in Germany. They named him Heinrich and two months later they were ambushed by a small platoon of SS men," Case said. "Sasha was killed and something happened to Ernst. He stated that when he came to his senses, the SS men were dead and ripped to pieces. Most of his clothes were ripped off him and he was covered in minor scratches and blood. Ernst could taste blood in his mouth and spit out flesh."

Case watched Nikki turn very pale and then gag. The musician fought to keep her soda down and she was visibly shaken.

"Ernst and the baby made it to the American lines where he surrendered and told his story when he was interrogated by the higher brass, since he had been with the SS. The Americans assigned a nurse to him to care for the baby and let him stay close to Heinrich. Someone became very interested in his description of the massacre of the SS platoon and questioned him endlessly. Ernst found himself transported to the States, and he wasn't charged with war crimes, even though he admitted participation at Babi Yar. Your grandfather became part of a secret and controlled study."

Nikki frowned. "My father was born in America and his name was Henry Arthur."

"No," Case smiled softly. "He was born in the woods near the mountain retreat of Hitler. Your grandfather never admitted it, but his American superiors felt that he was probably trying to get close enough to assassinate Hitler when the SS men found them. The American government forged your father's birth certificate, a gift to your grandfather."

Nikki absorbed this new information along with the rest of it. Everything felt so unreal but she decided to just flow with it.

"Let me guess, a LaFemme Nikkita type thing?" she asked.

"Very good!" Case grinned. "Something along those lines, throw in a dose of Stephen King with it."

"King? What?"

"Your grandfather found he wasn't the only one that the Americans and British had found during the war, especially among the Slavs and northern Germans. Among the Nordic countries as well, but they had expected that."

"Expected what? And who are you?" Nikki demanded.

"Second question, call me Case," the Hunter said easily. "The first question, they expected to find werewolves."

Nikki felt her head reeling over the word. Werewolves? What?

Wasn't that what she was running from though?

"More precisely, berserkers and werserkers," Case continued. "I've seen your library, you know about the stereotypical werewolf stuff but do you know about berserkers?"

"Viking warriors devoted to Odin," Nikki said softly. "They were seized with battle frenzy and were said to be unstoppable, not feeling wounds and didn't recognize anyone during battle until the frenzy passed. The word comes from 'ber serk', bear shirt, or bare shirt, without shirt. The legends say that some could actually change into their totem animal: bear or wolf."

"Very good," Case nodded in approval. "This is where some of the tales of werewolves come from. Every culture has were-creatures but the wolves and bears are strongest and most prevalent myths are in the northern countries of Europe. Guess what, they're true."

Nikki sat the coke can down and tried to control her shaking hands.

"Which part? Fangs, fur and the whole body changing?" Nikki asked softly.

"We don't know how it works, even the genetic scientists are still puzzled and they hate that. The current theory is that it's a recessive gene left over from a branch of the evolution tree. It was predominant and then turned recessive over the generations."

"Okay, go on," Nikki nodded.

"Apparently it can also be only partly dominant, giving the person berserker traits and talents without actually turning them into fang sprouting creatures. This is one type of werewolf, werserker or berserker. Then you have the other type of werewolves, the cursed ones. Lon Chaney Jr and Stephen King types, actual werewolves. These are people who have been cursed or bitten and they usually require the full moon or some other such nonsense to turn into a werewolf. Some learn to control it and can do it easily."

Nikki felt that earlier chill grab her heart and stomach again. She seized the table for support. "Which…." She tried to choke out. "Which was grandfather?"

"Full werserker: fangs, fur, claws, everything," Case answered.

"And…me?" Nikki whispered, looking up with such desperation that Case felt her emotions lurching.

"I don't know, young one, but we're going to find out," Case said calmly.

* * *

It was an hour before Case opened the door again. The captor wasn't surprised to find an enraged, confused and exhausted Nikki. Case was surprised herself at how fast she had bolted from the room when she saw the buildup of confusion and emotion in the young woman's face. The tall red-head slammed the door shut just as Nikki, hands gripping the table until the knuckles showed white, screamed and lost control.

The young musician snarled at Case but stayed in the corner where she had ended up, her forearms resting on her knees. Sweat flattened her hair and stuck her clothes to her lean and wiry body. Nikki's hands were a bloody mess. The walls, table, gurney and chair showed why.

"Incredible," Case muttered when she saw the twisted chairs. Good government metal chairs that were meant to last forever, not really made for comfort but durability. Now they were a twisted mess of abstract art.

Case's eyes danced as a growl answered her.

"Learn to control that frenzy and you could take on a tank."

"Let me out," Nikki's voice was more of a growl rather than a true human voice.

Case kept very close to the door with the Glock pistol in hand.

"Not a chance, wolfie. By the way, as a werewolf, you heal very quickly and it will take a hell of a lot to kill you. Listen very carefully, though, bullets can kill you and I am an excellent shot," Case said, raising the pistol to visually remind Nikki of its presence.

Another snarl was her answer.

"Afraid of me?" Nikki growled with an evil grin.

Case noted Nikki's muscles tensing and her own eyes narrowed at the threat.

"No, I just don't want to kill you," Case said calmly.

Nikki's muscles relaxed a little and the musician lowered her head. Case knew that the young woman just wanted to sleep. Case snapped her fingers and the werewolf's head jerked up.

"You are a werewolf but you're still human. Listen to me, Little One, then you can sleep. I'm not the government. I'm going to be your guardian angel, your older sister, your teacher and your worst nightmare. I'm going to teach you to control that frenzy. You'll be able to survive and, hopefully, teach others how to do the same."

Nikki continued to frown.

"Your grandfather became a test subject and your father was a test subject as well. They both died young because of it. Your step-grandmother, the nurse, was killed because she began demanding answers when you entered the military. She threatened to expose what she knew about your grandfather's past if the government touched you."

"What?" Nikki demanded, her eyes flashing angrily again as her exhaustion dropped away. Her grandmother, Annie, had been the light of her life. It didn't matter that she was a step-grandmother; Nikki had been very close to Annie. The young nurse assigned to help the young German prisoner Ernst and his infant son had fallen in love with her charges. Left the military to devote her life to the strange and haunted young German and son.

"Yes, and your mother lived in fear for her life after your father died," Case answered, sticking the Glock into her belt as she walked to the overturned gurney.

The exhaustion had swept over Nikki and the young musician was swaying on her feet and unable to keep her eyes open. The gurney had been destroyed but Case noted the mattress was still intact, so she moved it to the floor and sat down slowly. She patted the mattress, motioning for Nikki to sit down as well. The young woman's eyes narrowed but she sat down on the other end.

"What you're feeling is common after using that much energy. Your body wants to recover and that means sleeping," Case explained. "Try and listen for a moment."

Nikki nodded but closed her eyes.

"I told you that we're related in a way," Case continued. "My name is Case. I'm not a werewolf, a berserker, or a wereserker but I am kin to you. I'm not out to hurt you, I want to protect you. You need to trust that."

Nikki nodded again and didn't protest when Case pulled the young werewolf onto the mattress, her head in the red-head's lap. Nikki mumbled faintly and tried to stir until she felt gentle hands on her face and hair as well as gentle words soothing her into sleep.

* * *

A hand reached forward and turned off the monitor. Michael Scott turned and looked at his fellow technician.

"Case is good," he commented. "A little too attached though."

Keisha Kennedy nodded and leaned against the workstation. "It's the research she does when she takes on a subject. Case tracked this one for months. Besides, she's the boss," she grinned and Mike grinned as well.

"How true. She's got the money to do with as she pleases," he agreed, glancing around at the vast array of monitors, computers, and equipment in the Control Room. "How come I haven't seen her name in Fortune 500?" he asked as he leaned forward and clicked the monitor back on.

Keisha and Mike noticed both women were asleep, Nikki with her head in Case's lap. Mike raised his eyebrows when he noticed the fingers of Nikki and Case's left hands were intertwined but he clicked the monitor off again.

"As if you read the Fortune 500," Keisha teased. "Her money comes from an old line or something, probably Swiss banks and Cayman Islands," the young black woman leaned and turned back to glance at the monitor, even though it was turned off. "It'll be hard to keep this one away from the hands of the Feds."

"Yeah, we usually don't have Kin joining the damned military," Mike agreed. "What the hell was she thinking? Most Kin can sense well enough to know that they don't play well with others."

Keisha moved behind him and began massaging his shoulders. He leaned back with a sigh of pleasure.

"Family stuff, wanting to follow in father and grandfather's footsteps?" Keisha suggested. "They'll probably sleep for awhile, how about a break?"

"Sounds good," Mike agreed. "I need coffee.

* * *

"So tell me, who and what the fuck are you?" Nikki demanded, looking up from her sit-ups right into green eyes, as Case held her ankles.

Case laughed easily.

It had been a week since their first talk and they had talked almost non-stop since then, barely stopping in between bites of food at meals and during training sessions. Nikki had been moved from the cell-like room into one that resembled more of a dorm room, with a bed, dresser, desk, lamp, chair and writing materials. To her delight, Nikki found her guitar in the room along with a practice amp.

"Can't let you get rusty, can we?" Case had laughed.

Nikki hadn't even protested when the door clicked shut and locked as she reached for her guitar.

That week they had settled into a routine of sorts – shower, breakfast, workout, studying, lunch, another workout, more studying, dinner and then watching video movies. Nikki caught on the first day that the workouts were also a means of testing her strength, endurance and reflexes when she noticed at least two techs making notes at every session. Nikki didn't really mind, the exercises gave her something to do and kept her in the best shape Nikki had ever been, even better than after Marine Corps Boot Camp.

The studies, now that was weird, Nikki thought. The subject was the occult, mainly vampires and werewolves. Some of it was from old legends, modern horror books, and others were from very dry government reports. All the government pages were marked with words like "top secret" or "confidential" across the top.

"You're not a regular occult type, who and what are you?" Nikki repeated.

Case was considering how much to tell the young woman. For being an independent anarchist, Nikki had settled into the routine fairly well and easily. Probably her Marine Corps training, Case figured.

"I told you my name is Case," the red-head said calmly. Nikki couldn't see the mental frown that Case was having inside, why did her pulse begin racing whenever she was around the young werewolf? Case hated emotions and thought she had learned all about emotions and how to control them centuries before.

"What you don't know is that this is my place. It's a training center somewhere in Idaho," Case explained, actually surprised that the werewolf hadn't demanded answers before this. Nikki was too easily controlled in an authoritative setting. Again, probably her upbringing and conditioning by the Marines.

"I'm Case Quinn and I find those like yourself; those that we call Kin. We bring them here and determine if they're mentally capable of going through the training. If they are, then they are trained and sent out afterwards to train others. We hope this training spreads and Kin can learn to control their rage and hunger and not draw attention to our kind."

"And if they're not trainable? Do you kill them?" Nikki asked, sitting up again. She moved her feet and her body language told the red-head that the young woman was more interested in talking than working out right then.

"No," Case answered. "I don't believe in killing if I don't have to. The subject is drugged and returned to where we found them."

"So you'd return me to the bar?" Nikki asked.

"Yes," Case nodded.

"So your philosophy is that we can exist with mundane people without having to kill them. I can see it might be possible for werewolves and berserkers if they learned control or learned to drug themselves into oblivion on full moons, but what about traditional vampires and demons, don't they need human life to survive?" Nikki asked.

"It's possible for vampires to survive on blood other than human and demons don't have to kill, they just have to sample small bits of the human life force. This just means that they have to vary their menu and get up close and personal with two or three people instead of killing just one," Case explained and stood up. She offered her hand to the young woman and helped Nikki stand up.

Nikki stumbled and Case instinctively caught the young dark-haired elf in her arms. Case felt her heartbeat increasing as she looked down into blue eyes. The red-head stepped back firmly, her face hardening.

"What?" Nikki snapped. "Was it just part of your chase? Throw me off balance by pretending to want my body and then to chase me?." Nikki knew her face was turning red and cursed her pale complexion. She also knew she wasn't reading the gorgeous woman that wrong.

"Yes," Case said flatly. "I'm sorry but I don't get personal with other Kin. Berserkers and werserkers can be very, very intense, emotionally."

Case turned away and headed towards the locker room as Nikki scowled and began following.

"Yeah, right," Nikki muttered. "You're forgetting I'm a wolf, I can smell the difference."

Case stayed in the locker room while Nikki showered. She fought with her conflicting emotions and sensations. Case was confused; she normally didn't react to anyone like this. It had been more than centuries since she had let anyone close emotionally other than a friendship relationship.

Case's emotions skidded into overload as the young punk rocker walked back into the locker room to change. Nikki hadn't bothered to wrap up in a towel or anything and the musician's blue eyes told Case that the young woman knew exactly what she was doing. The vampire fought to stay composed and almost won.

Nikki grinned to herself at the flustered look on Case's face.

"So," Nikki smiled as she reached for her clean clothes. "You said we're related. How? What type of Kin are you?"

Case managed to tear her eyes away from the firm and muscled body before answering. The musician had put on some much needed weight in the week of eating right and working out, her ribs no longer showing as plainly. Case wanted to reach out and touch the pale skin, very badly.

The red-head snapped her controls back into place.

"I'm a vampire," she answered.

"Vamp, huh?" Nikki muttered as she toweled her spiky hair before putting her t-shirt on, the motion of her breasts driving Case to distraction again.

Case bit her lip and stood up, her face firm.

"Yes," she muttered. "One of a rare kind, actually. I've been around for awhile."

With that comment, Case moved past the other woman and through the door.

Hmmm, that doesn't mean you're dead sexually. Nikki thought. "Vampire? Fangs always did turn me on."

The dark haired elf-like woman smirked and continued to slowly dress.

* * *

The months went by quickly and Nikki's training expanded to self defense and hunting skills. The last lessons flew by with Nikki passing everything with flying colors. It seemed that Ernst Ulfheim had passed his forest skills onto his granddaughter. With the heightened senses of an awakened werserker, Nikki was a natural in the woods.

Case, who had kept a close eye on Nikki's training, was impressed. She thought that a Green Beret or Army Ranger might have trouble tracking and finding the young elf-like woman in the woods.

At the end of the month, as a reward for her quick skills and cooperation, Case treated Nikki to an "off-campus" night at the local town. It was a small Midwest town, that barely even registered on State maps, with two taverns and two cross streets.

Nikki was dressed in jeans, tennis shoes, a t-shirt and a flannel shirt. To complete her rustic-type appearance the musician had a baseball cap covering her spiky hair. Case, dressed in a similar fashion, reflected that they didn't look out of place in the small bar.

Case caught the young woman watching her closely over her beer and returned the serious gaze. "What?" she demanded with a slight smile.

"I was just thinking that you'd look right at home in anything from ripped jeans to a ball gown," Nikki grinned.

"I think so too," Case agreed, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "That's the advantage of having lived awhile. You can learn to get comfortable in almost anything, except maybe whale-bone stays."

Nikki raised her eyebrows at the hint of the time era. Case was so closed off about herself that any hint of a personality, history or life clues was eagerly lapped up by the young musician.

"I'm not sure I can learn that trick," Nikki shrugged. "I hated it when we had to wear our dress uniforms. Give me jeans or cammies any day."

"What was the military like for you?" Case questioned as she took a sip from her beer. The vampire glanced up when Nikki didn't answer her immediately and saw that Nikki's eyes were narrowed and her nostrils were flared.

Case casually half turned in her booth seat and followed Nikki's gaze, spotting two farmer types sitting at the bar watching the two women with scowls and their body language was anything but friendly.

"Damn, not tonight," Case muttered and saw Nikki's muscles tensing and lips parting slightly. The vampire quickly reached out and caught the young woman's wrists firmly, startling the musician.

"No!" Case snapped. "We don't mess with the locals! They think my place is a drug rehab and they hate it. They put up with it because I make large donations to the town and we don't make trouble," Case explained.

"Listen, Little One, I know you can sense their hostility but you can NOT act on it every time you feel like it. Drink your beer and concentrate on your breathing," she whispered intensely.

Nikki scowled and ducked her head to keep from looking at the two men. Case glanced over and made sure the males had turned back to their beers, having lost interest in the women for the moment. Case thought they might have trouble leaving the bar and would have to be careful.

"How old are you?" Nikki asked, bringing her ice blue eyes up to the red-head in front of her.

Case took a long drink of her beer as she considered how to answer this typical question. Knowledge was always power, especially among Kin, after all. How many times had she been asked that same question, in how many taverns? Over wooden mugs, over pewter steins, over fancy crystal, always the same question, eventually.

"Older than I look?" she said with a grin. Case was pleased with the exasperated look on Nikki's face.

"No fucking kidding," Nikki smirked, throwing her napkin at Case.

"Much, much older than I look," Case responded. "I stopped aging at 24 summers."

"Is that why you don't fear the sunlight like other vampires?" Nikki asked, leaning forward with curiosity.

Case was pleased to note that the young werewolf's eyes constantly darted around the bar, even though she was paying attention to Case, she was always alert.

"No," Case answered. "I'm different than most vampires. It's true that the older a vampire gets the less we fear the traditional things: sunlight, crosses, that sort of thing. I never feared the sunlight or any of the other things."

Nikki frowned, "Why?"

"From the beginning, I was a vampire but I never let myself give over to the darkness. I refuse and refused to feed on human fear," Case explained. "You see, it's not just the blood that feed Kin, it's the intense human emotions we cause in them. Fear is one of the strongest and sweetest energies you can feed on. Demons can't live without life essence and really crave fear. Some of them feed better on sexual energy, though."

"You were born a vampire?" Nikki asked. "How? You didn't die?"

"No, my mother is unique and her blood came alive in my mid-teens," Case answered. "I wasn't bitten by another vampire or vampire-like creature."

Nikki reached and took Case's hand in hers, the musician's thumb rubbing lightly across the heel of the pale hand in hers. "What do you feed on?"

Nikki's senses didn't miss the shiver that her caress caused in Case and the vampire pulled back quickly. A quick glance around reassured her that no one had noticed.

Case attempted to look sternly at her student and was met with a mischievous grin and glint in Nikki's eyes.

"Animal blood, mostly," Case answered softly. "Have you thought about what your werewolf side craves?"

The surprised look on Nikki's face told Case that the young guitar player hadn't thought about it.

"Listen, Little One, you've tasted human blood, flesh and especially the human fear of a victim," Case said softly. "I don't think that Lee Landers was a happy camper when you ripped him to bits, do you?"

Case saw the woman flinch visibly and pull back into herself. The red-head hated this but knew Nikki had to face it.

"Werewolves and werserkers 'love' fear. It's even sweeter for them than for any other creature," Case explained. "They also thrive on the violence. You know that, Nikki. You've always feared the violent flashes and images that skirt around in your mind. What were they? Visions of ripping someone in half? And then you did."

Nikki looked like she was about to crawl under the table. Her talented hands were shaking so badly that she didn't dare touch her beer. Nikki pulled them under the table and almost huddled in the corner of the booth.

Case felt her heart going out to the young werewolf but didn't let it show and steeled herself to continue.

"You must learn control or you'll kill again and you'll delight in it. You will like ripping someone apart and you'll howl in pleasure as you dip your claws into someone's chest. Just the feeling of tearing their organs out and sinking your fangs into their throat will be like honey to you. Just imagine tasting the blood and flesh in your strong jaws…"

Nikki bolted out of the booth and hit the hallway heading to the bathroom almost before Case finished blinking. The vampire closed her eyes and blinked back tears of shame and pain. Gods, how I hate doing that, damnit! Thank the gods the young woman was probably throwing up dinner and several beers and not drooling over the prospect of killing someone. Case thought that there was a sign of a strong human soul in the young woman.

Battle lust killing, Case could understand that, she had seen it many times before in many people. It was the delight in killing humans that crossed the moral line in Case's world and turned her cold.

Case waited a moment longer and then headed for the bathroom.

* * *

Nikki was just rinsing her mouth out and turned away when Case entered the bathroom. The vampire locked the door and leaned against it. There wasn't much room in the small rat-trap of a bar and this room was exceptionally small. Case reached out and turned the smaller woman around as tears streamed down Nikki's face, making the musician look very, very young and vulnerable. Case smiled a sad smile and pulled Nikki into her arms. The young werewolf's emotional control broke and she began crying freely and sobs racked her small but powerful frame.

"It's alright, you're not alone," Case whispered.

"I…didn't mean…to do that," the small elf's voice was high with emotion and made her sound as young as she looked at that moment.

"I know, I know," Case whispered. "I'm sorry I rammed it at you like that. You aren’t a monster, Nikki, but you are a natural killer. You have to be aware of that almost every minute of the day. If you take delight in that power, you'll be lost to the darkness and will become a monster."

The young woman tightened her hold around Case's waist as more sobs racked Nikki's body. Case held Nikki tightly until the moment passed and Nikki's muscles relaxed a bit. The vampire removed the baseball cap and stroked the spiky hair as Nikki calmed down.

The blond tips had gone when Nikki's hair had grown out but the young woman insisted on keeping it short and spiky on top. Case smiled at the beginning hair tail at the base of Nikki's neck: a sign of a warrior. The vampire moved back slightly.

"You sound like a writer or teacher," Nikki commented, wiping at her eyes.

"I have been both in the past," Case smiled as Nikki ran her sleeves over her face. "Ready?"

"I'm okay," Nikki's voice was still small, matching her appearance as she put the cap back on.

Case opened the door and started down the hall into the main room and snarled when one of the two farmer-types stepped in front of her. Typical, she growled to herself. Western shirt, dusty and sweat stained baseball cap, dusty jeans, boots, belt, etc etc etc. He hadn't showered before coming to the bar either, her senses told her. His hazel eyes were almost lost in the bloodshot drunken red.

"Wha's matter?" he slurred. "Girlfriend can't hold her liquor?"

Case hard a growl behind her and put one hand behind her back, touching Nikki's hip. Case's other hand reached out and grabbed the male's right hand, surprising him. He blinked in surprise but grinned with pleasure as she interlaced her fingers with him.

"No, but she's okay," Case said sweetly. "Thanks for asking."

Before the male could respond, he squeaked as he was forced to his knees, his fingers bent back painfully. He cried out with a whimper.

Case let go and, with a quick turn, moved Nikki past herself and the man now holding his fingers in pain. Case dropped a large tip for the bartender and waitress as they walked quickly through and out the bar.